Terry's Top Ten Films of 2012

It always takes me a little longer to get my top 10 list of the year out than my two companions.  This is mainly because I have more trouble finding time to view the top films of the year before the come out on DVD.  Eventually I see them all and am able to put out a strong top films of the year.  This last year was one of those years where I think the Academy got it pretty right with who they honored at the Oscars.  This not only makes for a much more enjoyable Oscars ceremony, but also gives me increased faith in the awards systems.  Eight of the Best Picture nominees can be found in my top ten.  The one that is not I have yet to view (Beasts of the Southern Wild) but I feel confident enough in the ten that I have to go with it without viewing this one yet (Update: I saw Beasts and it did not crack the list).  So far, I have given out nine 4 star ratings for 2012 which is my lowest total since 2009 when there were eight 4 stars.  However, with that said, I believe this was a good year for movies because of the quality of the these ten movies at the top.  With all that said, here is the list.

Honorable Mention

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Haywire

Skyfall

This Is 40

10.  Amour (Dir. by Michael Haneke)

Let me start by saying this type of film is not my cup of tea.  I am usually not a fan of quiet subtle character studies.  I usually differ to Todd or Zach to discuss the greatness of this genre.  However, Haneke's latest achievement about an elderly couple dealing with the trials and struggles of the twilight years impressed me so much I had to put it on my list.  I still didn't necessarily "like" this movie in the traditional sense of the word, but I was fascinated by it and by the beauty of its subtlety.  The screenplay is brilliant because of everything it doesn't say.  There isn't much plot in the story, but most of the events that advance the plot are not seen or heard.  The film is not about what is happening, but about how people react to and cope with those events.  The beauty is in the non-verbals which led to two amazing performances from the Oscar-nominated Emmanuelle Riva and Jean-Louis Trintignant.  If nothing else, this film shows the incredible artistry of a unique filmmaker.

9.  The Avengers (Dir. by Joss Whedon)

This is probably the closest thing to a polar opposite that you could find to the last film on the list.  However, I would be lying if I didn't say the superhero mega-movie event wasn't one of the most enjoyable movie-going experiences of the year.  Individually, some characters made decent films (Iron Man, Captain America: The First Avenger) and some didn't (Thor) but together they made an explosive team that saved the world.  I could watch this movie over and over and over again.

8.  Lincoln (Dir. by Steven Spielberg)

I love a good historical drama.  When you add to that one of the better directors of the last 30 years, one of the best actors of the last 25 years, and one of the most beloved characters in American history, you are bound to have a masterpiece.  That is exactly what this combination brought.  Daniel Day-Lewis once again gave a career-defining performance (I believe this makes 5 career-defining performances for him) as he became the embodiment of the character instead of simply playing him.  Add to that some of the best supporting performances of the year from one of the most impressive casts of the year, and you really can't find anything to complain about.

7.  Les Miserables (Dir. by Tom Hooper)

When I heard they were making a movie version of my favorite musical of all time, my only reaction was, "Don't screw it up."  What I realized after watching the film was you really can't screw it up.  It was not a perfect movie.  I had some issues with some of the casting decisions and some of the performances, however when it came down to it the story is so good and the music tells the story so well that less than perfect still produced a masterpiece.  I give Tom Hooper a lot of credit for this because he realized the best way to bring this musical to the screen is to not mess with what made it a great musical, and that is the music.  By keeping the singing throughout and allowing the actors bring their characters to life through song, it gave the film the emotion and epic scale that makes the musical so beloved.

6.  Looper (Dir. by Rian Johnson)

This was one of the best kept secrets of last year.  However, by the time saw this movie, I had heard from everyone that had seen it that it was the most underrated film of the year.  So the hype had definitely built up.  With that said, it lived up to all the hype.  What a unique and original movie!  As all great sci-fi films do, it establishes its reality quite well, but what makes this one stand out is the reality we are forced to live in for two hours.  The unique and fascinating premise is so thought-provoking in itself that when the plot starts taking its twists and turns, you are hooked and on the edge of your seat for the duration.  Looper redefined time travel movies in a way District 9 a few years ago redefined alien movies.

5.  Django Unchained (Dir. by Quentin Tarantino)

It seems that no matter when Tarantino makes a film, it ends up on my top films of the year no matter how ridiculous the film is.  Django is a perfect example.  If you were to hear about a film with this premise, you would think it was a joke.  A slave right before the Civil War is freed to work with a bounty hunter to hunt down and kill slave owners.  What a terrible sounding, offensive movie!  This film should never be made!  Then you're told that Quentin Tarantino is making it.  All of a sudden it becomes one of the movie events of the year and a soon-to-be masterpiece.  It almost seems like Tarantino wants to see how far he can push it before he gets run out of Hollywood.  This will never happen though.  First, Tarantino would run away from Hollywood before he would be considered a part of it.  Second, he makes films in a way no one else does.  His screenplays and dialogue are so unique and his plot lines are so original, he has practically created a genre of his own.  Because of that, every time we see Tarantino work we see something we have never seen before.  This is what makes films like Django so great.  I'm sure if we saw films like these everyday then Tarantino wouldn't wow us so much.  But we don't, so they do.

4.  Zero Dark Thirty (Dir. by Kathryn Bigelow)

It is rare that such a moment of recent history is brought to the screen so quickly and so effectively.  Kathryn Bigelow has built a reputation for herself that I don't think anyone else should ever make a film about the Middle East besides her.  I really don't like a lot of the movies that are coming out about the wars in the Middle East, but Bigelow has now succeeded in making two masterpieces on the subject.  This film about the hunt for Osama Bin Laden is so honest and suspenseful that it draws you in from the very first scene.  The last half hour of the movie is one of the greatest war sequences I have ever seen.  It is definitely a film that takes you for a ride.

3.  Life of Pi (Dir. by Ang Lee)

This film surprised me more than any other this year.  I knew nothing about it going in except there was a boy, a boat, and a tiger.  I also knew that it was getting more recognition than I looked like it should by the awards season.  I couldn't have been more wrong.  Yes, it is a story about a boy, a boat, and a tiger, but it is so much more than that.  It is a story about faith, survival, and imagination.  And when you put an imaginative story like this into the creative hands of Ang Lee, you are bound to have one of the greatest movie experiences you can find.  I loved everything about this movie.  The story is incredible, which you almost forget about because the film is so beautiful to watch which is a given when Ang Lee is at the helm.  On top of all this, the film ends in a way that keeps you thinking for days.  It is one of those films where you need to have a discussion with someone to debrief after you are done watching it.  This is a film I will never get tired of talking about.

2.  Silver Linings Playbook (Dir. by David O. Russell)

Out of all the films on this list, this is the most human story with the characters you relate to the most with the best overall acting job of the year.  This film about a bipolar finding his way to be normal in the world is quirky, heartbreaking, funny, serious.  In short, it is life.  Few films capture life in all its dynamics like this does.  In a lot of ways (and my counterparts will hate me for this), it is a lot like Sideways in this way.  There is a real life story told with flawed, complete characters in a way real life actually is.  However, Silver Linings would have been nothing if not for its stellar cast.  Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence show they can do a lot more than what the general public recognize them for, and when you can round out your cast with a living legend you have a perfect cast.  I know some of you were thinking the living legend was Chris Tucker, but it's not.  It was Robert De Niro.

1.  Argo (Dir. by Ben Affleck)

If any of you have read any of my other posts or know what my favorite movies are, you will know that my all-time favorite type of movie is a 20th Century American History film.  Whether it's Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind, or Frost/Nixon, there is something about this time period that appeals to me.  Argo is the latest film I can add to this list.  Ben Affleck is quickly becoming one of the best directors we have with this film being his masterpiece about the rescue mission of the Americans who escaped before the hostages were taken in Iran.  This movie feels like an instant classic, and instantly became one of my favorite movies of the last number of years.  I really don't know how to describe it other than: awesome.

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Oscar Breakdown and Handicapping: Best Picture

We finally get to the final and most important category. All conventional knowledge would have stated that after the nominations were announced Argo would not be in the running since it lacks the Best Director nomination. Now that it has gobbled up every award in its way, it seems like a shoo-in winner. But then there is the Weinstein push for Silver Linings Playbook. This could get interesting. Check out my final breakdown article of the season…

9. Django Unchained

Notable awards: none

Notable nominations: BFCA, Golden Globes (Drama), PGA

Case for the Oscar: It has a very nice box office. The fact that two straight Tarantino movies have made it into the Best Picture lineup may mean that the Academy is really beginning to accept his style of filmmaking. Until they truly takes him seriously as a director as opposed to just a screenwriter, then his films are going to continue to appeal to that niche market and not really have a shot at winning this award.

Oscar Doppelganger: 1996 Best Picture: Jerry Maguire. The movie was nominated despite missing out on the Best Director nomination. Seeing how his career had gone, the Academy never really took him seriously as a director, only as one of the more likable screenwriters of his time. The movie was somewhat of a box office phenomenon and the director’s highest grossing film, but nobody ever really thought it could win Best Picture.

Odds of winning: 250/1

8. Beasts of the Southern Wild

Notable awards: none

Notable nominations: BFCA, Spirit Awards, PGA

Case for the Oscar: The movie is getting all of the indie enthusiast votes. The major awards love proves that it has a great following, but it is just not a normal Oscar movie. If there had been five nominees, this would have been the strangest Best Director nominee without BP since Blue Velvet. The movie is one that inspires fondness as opposed to amazement, which hurts its chances at winning any awards (or gathering a significant audience, for that matter). The movie is destined to be an also-ran, but its nominations have already defied the odds.

Oscar Doppelganger: 2010 Best Picture: Winter’s Bone. The movie was the indie hit of the year that defied the odds and got invited to the ceremony in several categories. Its chances of winning were never really all that realistic, but being mentioned among the best of the year showed how much the Academy members appreciated its achievement with such a small budget.

Odds of winning: 150/1

7. Amour

Notable awards: Cannes, Los Angeles Critics, National Society of Film Critics

Notable nominations: none

Case for the Oscar: It is the most critically acclaimed movie of the year. There hasn’t been a foreign film in the Best Picture lineup since 2000, so this type of recognition is extremely rare. Everyone who has seen it has marveled over its emotional impact, so if it somehow got enough members to see it, then it actually could finish in the top few films. Winning is not going to happen, but Haneke has certainly put his name at the top of the list of most accessible foreign filmmakers with this superb little film.

Oscar Doppelganger: 1973 Best Picture: Cries and Whispers. The film had deep and depressing themes. The director was probably the most beloved foreign director of his time, and this was his most popular film with the awards circuits. The film was up against more popular Hollywood studio releases, so it never really had a shot at winning, but it certainly shook up the race, becoming one of only 9 foreign language films ever nominated for Best Picture.

Odds of winning: 100/1

6. Zero Dark Thirty

Notable awards: Boston Critics, Chicago Critics, National Board of Review, New York Critics

Notable nominations: BAFTA, Golden Globes (Drama), PGA

Case for the Oscar: For me, this is the best movie of the year. Its controversy is completely off-base, but that will be enough for the members to shy away from voting for the film. They are all about avoiding controversy. The director-writer combo just won all the major awards a few years ago, so that could either help the cause or prevent them from showering them with more awards this soon. Its Best Director snub is ridiculous, but that is pretty telling as to its chances in this category, since the film is clearly a directing spectacle.

Oscar Doppelganger: 1991 Best Picture: JFK. There was controversy the moment the film was announced. The Academy was probably not ready for the film, but they knew it was great and that the technical aspects were spectacular. The Best Picture nomination seemed like a formality for the Oscar-winning filmmakers, but its chances of actually taking Best Picture were very slim.

Odds of winning: 70/1

5. Les Miserables

Notable awards: Golden Globes (Comedy/Musical)

Notable nominations: BAFTA, BFCA, PGA, SAG

Case for the Oscar: The movie was the most Oscar-friendly on paper, but the film underwhelmed everyone but the most devoted Les Mis fans. The Academy snubbed it for Best Director, which showed that the film is not as popular as it could or should have been. It had a very nice box office, however, so if the Academy wants to give the award to a fluff winner, then this would likely be it. There has not been a musical to win this in a decade, so that may help its chances. They cannot resist them sometimes.

Oscar Doppelganger: 2001 Best Picture: Moulin Rouge!. The film was a visual and artistic spectacle, but the experience of watching it was quite frenetic and somewhat of a mess. The film certainly had its fans, but its style turned off enough voters to not have a chance at winning Best Picture.

Odds of winning: 60/1

4. Life of Pi

Notable awards: none

Notable nominations: BAFTA, BFCA, Golden Globes (Drama), PGA

Case for the Oscar: The movie feels the most like an Oscar winner. The material and visual style would certainly take the Oscar back to when these types of epic ambition films won the awards, but it faces the issue of not having any stars in the film. That hasn’t been an issue with Slumdog Millionaire and The Artist, but Life of Pi just didn’t have the widespread love or devoted fans of many of the other contenders. If the Academy wants to play it safe, then this will likely be the winner, which would be the first 3D release Best Picture winner.

Oscar Doppelganger: 2003 Best Picture: Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World. The movie was not the most popular film with the Academy members, but it was an easy choice to give the film several technical nominations and a Best Picture mention. The movie was a visual spectacle and a wondrous experience, but the other contenders were more popular with the public and had more clear Oscar ambitions.

Odds of winning: 50/1

3. Lincoln

Notable awards: none

Notable nominations: BAFTA, BFCA, Golden Globes (Drama), PGA, SAG

Case for the Oscar: When the movie was announced, it would have seemed as if this were the one to beat. It turned out to be extremely talky and perhaps a bit too sophisticated for the Academy. If it were a biopic, then this would have been a much more popular film awards-wise. Its nominations were predictable, but winning would be quite an achievement for a film based so much on dialogue. Those types of films don’t win Best Picture, but most of them are not directed by Spielberg or starring Daniel Day-Lewis.

Oscar Doppelganger: 1994 Best Picture: Quiz Show. (This is mainly because I didn’t want to use Good Night, and Good Luck again…) The dialogue-heavy and important film was a clear Oscar contender from the moment it was announced, but it became more and more clear that it was not the type of film that could actually win big at the Oscars. The film’s director had won before, which made it even clearer that it would be singled out as one of the year’s best. It was Oscar gold on paper, but its style caused it to come up just short.

Odds of winning: 20/1

2. Silver Linings Playbook

Notable awards: Satellite Awards

Notable nominations: BFCA, Golden Globes (Comedy/Musical), Spirit Awards, PGA, SAG

Case for the Oscar: The Weinstein Company are pushing it hard, putting everyone involved in the film on every talk show in the country. It is still making money at the box office, so it is fresh in the minds of the voters. It has the feel-good sob story about the David O. Russell’s son. If he wins, then this will take Best Picture. The mental illness subject matter is the stuff that Oscar loves. This smells like an upset, but Argo just has so much momentum. It will be a close call.

Oscar Doppelganger: 2010 Best Picture: The King’s Speech. The film vastly overachieved at the box office. Weinstein pushed it so hard that it eventually became a serious threat to the obvious frontrunner. It was a very safe choice for the Academy members, who did not want to award a film that was outside of their normal recipient style. It rode the wave of audience popularity all the way to the ceremony. When the film took Best Director, the race was basically over.

Odds of winning: 8/1

1. Argo

Notable awards: BAFTA, BFCA, Golden Globes (Drama), PGA, SAG

Notable nominations: none

Case for the Oscar: It has taken every important award this season. George Clooney is the main producer, so that brings another element to its frontrunner status. The movie is a very Hollywood/LA movie, just like Crash was when it won over the Academy late in the game. It is also a very American movie, which the Academy may need after 3 of the last 4 years giving this award to films like Slumdog, The Artist, and The King’s Speech. Everyone feels bad for Ben Affleck, so this award is the one way that they can award his extraordinary work on the film. Unless the Weinstein money impacts the voting, then this will be our winner.

Oscar Doppelganger: 1981 Best Picture: Chariots of Fire. There really is no film that can be compared to what Argohas gone through. With Chariots of Fire, there were other Oscar contenders on paper that underachieved throughout the awards season. This movie was never going to win Best Director, but its status as the Best Picture frontrunner over blockbuster films was pretty clear. It wasn’t the most popular film with audiences, but it was a solid and easy choice for the Academy, one that may not be one of their better choices, but one that was a breath of fresh air during a time when most of the other Best Picture winners were all very forgettable and typical.

Odds of winning: 1/10

Previous articles:

Best Director

Best Actor

Best Actress

Best Supporting Actor

Best Supporting Actress

Best Original and Adapted Screenplays

Thoughts? Comments? Predictions? If you haven’t already, turn in your votes for the OSCAR CHALLENGE!

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Oscar Breakdown and Handicapping: Best Supporting Actor

This is the most wide open category of this year and of the past few years. The awards have been splitting up between a few actors. The SAG went to one, the Critic’s Choice went to one, the Golden Globe and BAFTA went to another. We have all previous winners. To me, this category somewhat mirrors 2007 Supporting Actress. Nobody can really predict this topsy-turvy race. Sadly, due to the format of the Oscars, this will be the first award given. At least we can start out on a good note. Check it out…

5. Alan Arkin – Argo

Notable awards: none

Notable nominations: BAFTA, BFCA, Golden Globes, SAG

Case for the Oscar: Honestly, this is the only one of the nominees that stands no chance at winning. He is just a throw-away nomination that is along for the ride. That is not to say he is undeserving of his nomination, but a win would be more than a little ridiculous. His nomination is just a testament to how much the industry respects his character work.

Oscar Doppelganger: 2011 Best Supporting Actor: Jonah Hill. He was in one of the most popular Best Picture nominees box office-wise, and his performance was noticed by each award show, while never standing a chance at taking any of them. His scene-stealing effort was commendable, but not awards stuff. His nomination was his reward.

Odds of winning: 100/1

4. Philip Seymour Hoffman – The Master

Notable awards: BFCA, Chicago Critics

Notable nominations: BAFTA, Golden Globes, SAG

Case for the Oscar: He was the critic darling in the category, which doesn’t always lead to Oscar gold. If one of the film’s 3 acting nominations is going to take home the award, he stands the best chance. He was borderline lead, which helps him against the nominees with much shorter screentime. He is one of the most respected actors in the world, which the Academy may want to reinforce by giving him a second Oscar in 7 years. He had the most difficult role of the bunch, and he nailed ever nuance of his volatile character. If the Academy doesn’t hate The Master as much as it appears that they did, then this will be our winner.

Oscar Doppelganger: 2002 Best Actor: Jack Nicholson. He was the critical favorite throughout the season, but the film underwhelmed in its nominations count, only garnering acting nods. He had won less than a decade prior, which perhaps made some voters reluctant to give another award to him so soon. He made a strong push for the Oscar against a host of former winners but came up just short.e our winner. ever nuance of his volatile character.er ion was his reward.

Odds of winning: 6/1

3. Robert De Niro – Silver Linings Playbook

Notable awards: none

Notable nominations: BFCA, SAG

Case for the Oscar: He hasn’t had that signature moment at all this awards season, but he is still right there in the running. There are so many members of the Academy that grew up watching De Niro and idolize him. His first nomination in over 20 years is the perfect chance for all of those members to finally express their appreciation for his career and heartfelt performance in the Weinstein awards train. His performance is not as showy or scene-stealing as any of the other 4 nominees, but his name and movie’s popularity will carry him into serious contention. If the Academy wants to go with Chastain or Riva for Best Actress, then this will be the easiest way to award Silver Linings Playbook.

Oscar Doppelganger: 1974 Best Supporting Actor: Fred Astaire. More than 30 years past his prime, the ever-popular actor got one last great supporting role and made a serious run at the Oscar. He still had a ton of fans, and while it would have been an acceptable win, it would be looked back on as a win with an agenda, throwing one last bone to one of the all time greats.

Odds of winning: 11/2

2. Christoph Waltz – Django Unchained

Notable awards: BAFTA, Golden Globes

Notable nominations: none

Case for the Oscar: His role is the most perfectly-written of the year. He is the main character in the movie, giving him much more time to show off. He just won in 2009, but there still may be some leftover love for one of the greatest character performances in recent memory. The two televised wins certainly help his case, despite receiving a strange SAG snub. Critics have called him the best character actor in the world, so when all of these other performances are more understated, one big beautiful showy performance could be the one to get the gold.

Oscar Doppelganger: 1993 Best Supporting Actor: Tommy Lee Jones. A couple years removed from a very popular character performance in one of the Best Picture contenders, he was nominated again for a lead performance in the supporting category. Some may argue that it was too effortless, but nobody could deny his importance to the story and his scene-stealing ability. His win is seen as a bizarre choice in retrospect, but one that is really hard to take issue with given the actor and popularity of the film.

Odds of winning: 10/3

1. Tommy Lee Jones – Lincoln

Notable awards: SAG

Notable nominations: BAFTA, BFCA, Golden Globes

Case for the Oscar: He is in one of the Best Picture frontrunners. He has the very patriotic role in the movie, garnering the biggest reaction from the audience. He effortlessly steals several scenes, and he is an actor that the industry loves. He is in a film with other acting nominees, which could take away some votes if they want to spread the wealth. He won almost 20 years ago, so they may want to give him a second Oscar before actors who have won in the last 10 years. He looked…uh…less than thrilled to be at Golden Globes without winning, but the odds are that he will not have to suffer through that at the Oscars. Or he could just take off early like Eddie Murphy in ’06.

Oscar Doppelganger: 2004 Best Supporting Actor: Morgan Freeman. He was not really represented well in the critic awards, but he morphed into the frontrunner after several nominations and important mentions during the award season. He was one of the most respected actors out there, and the Academy was running out of legitimate chances to reward him. He got swept in with the popularity of the well-acted Best Picture contender, and won over a terrific group of nominees.

Odds of winning: 3/1

Previous articles:

Best Original and Adapted Screenplay

Best Supporting Actress

Thoughts? Comments? Coming up: Best Actress!

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Year in Review: Top 10 Films of 2012

Looking back on 2012 in film, I cannot help but notice how average it was. The Best Picture nominees are solid or great films, but not masterpieces. The majority of the films were watchable, but not transcendent. This resulted in a significantly-reduced number of films I watched, since there just weren’t the quality films getting released every week like normal. Check out my breakdown of the year, as well as my personal (and most likely incomplete) top 10 of 2012:

Films seen: 89

Thumbs up percentage: 53.93%

Actor of the year: Matthew McConaughey (Bernie, Killer Joe, Magic Mike, Mud, The Paperboy)

Actress of the year: Emily Blunt (Arthur Newman, The Five-Year Engagement, Looper, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, Your Sister’s Sister)

Performances of the year: Joaquin Phoenix – The Master, Jessica Chastain – Zero Dark Thirty, Edward Norton – Moonrise Kingdom, Emma Watson – The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Most underrated film: Bernie

Most overrated film: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Biggest surprise: Chronicle

Biggest disappointment: The Dark Knight Rises

Best ensemble casts: Django Unchained, The Master, Moonrise Kingdom

Best screenplays: Argo, Looper, Django Unchained

Bottom five of the year (from bad to worst): 360, The Campaign, Men in Black 3, Red Lights, Virginia

Most anticipated unseen films: Amour, Frances Ha, On the Road, Rust and Bone, This Is Not a Film

Honorable mentions: The Do-Deca Pentathlon, Jeff, Who Lives at Home, Moonrise Kingdom, The Raid: Redemption, Wreck-It Ralph

10. Smashed (directed by James Ponsoldt)

After seeing the promise of writer-director James Ponsoldt in 2006’s Off the Black, this film became one of my most anticipated of the year. Being a massive Breaking Bad fan, the fact that Aaron Paul was in it only added to my intrigue. These kinds of tiny budget indies are among my favorite types of films, and this one, while at times very funny, is a devastating and absolutely authentic look at alcoholism and its affect on relationships. It has this real fly-on-the-wall type of feel, giving the audience the perspective of the sober bystander observing the highs and brutal lows of being a drunk. The movie is sad, hilarious, but always genuine and true. It is a rewarding experience for whoever seeks it out. Ponsoldt is a director to watch in the coming years.

9. God Bless America (directed by Bobcat Goldthwait)

Each year there seems to be a movie that gets no attention butt is so off-the-wall and daring that it ends up being one of the best of the year. Two of the last four years, that movie has been directed by Bobcat Goldthwait, of Police Academy “fame”.  This movie follows a recently fired and terminally ill man who joins forces with a teenage girl to go on a killing spree throughout the country, taking out celebrities and other people who most piss them off. Usually a movie like this would be shot in way that makes it seem otherworldly, but this one clearly is in reality. Goldthwait has the balls to push the envelope, and this is certainly his best film yet. It is a painfully funny and perceptive little film. Keep an eye out for Goldthwait’s next directorial efforts. He has a way with dark comedy that is unlike any other working filmmaker right now.

8. Seven Psychopaths (directed by Martin McDonagh)

After In Bruges, I immediately was looking forward to how Martin McDonagh was going to follow up his Oscar nom. With the return of star Colin Farrell, I knew it was going to be terrific. In a lot of ways, this is actually a better and certainly a much funnier film than his last one. Seven Psychopathsis about a screenwriter who gets caught up in a criminal plot, since his friends, who kidnap rich people’s dogs and return them for cash, accidentally do so to a brutal gangster. The actors are clearly tons of fun, which you can tell in certain scenes when they almost break character because the situation is so absurd. The movie hits its climax, and then goes even further until it is so out-there that the audience is just in a constant state of laughter and giggling that will last until the credits are rolling. It is smartly-written, hilariously overcast, and superbly executed. I know it probably isn’t for everyone, but if pitch black comedy is for you, then there have been few better in the last few years than this one.

7. The Master (directed by Paul Thomas Anderson)

As brilliant as everything Paul Thomas Anderson touches is, this one could have been even better. It is magnificently-shot, brilliantly-scored, and hauntingly-acted. It is also overlong, a bit pretentious, and just a little too strange. Don’t get me wrong, the highs of The Master are the best scenes of the year. There are just not as many of them as a normal PTA effort. However, average PTA still ranks among the best of the year. Joaquin Phoenix gives the performance of the year, and should certainly win Oscar gold, but he stands almost no chance against Daniel Day-Lewis. Philip Seymour Hoffman digs his teeth into his role to create one of his best characters. I was blown away and underwhelmed at the same time with this movie. Either way, it lingered around in my mind for quite a while, which is about all you can ask for when you watch as many movies as I do.

6. End of Watch (directed by David Ayer)

This movie absolutely destroyed me. I have an incredible soft spot for cop movies, and this maybe the most realistic I have ever seen. The two lead actors are incredible, with Michael Pena giving one of the standout performances of the year. The movie is the most frenetic and furiously-paced of 2012. David Ayer does his best to make the movie seem like a documentary, some of which is even shot by the leads on a handheld camera. The cast chemistry and brotherhood built by the actors is brilliant and authentic, and the writing is among the year’s finest achievements. This cop film, above all others, just gets it. There is a host of brutal action, but that is just not what it is about. As big of a fan I am of Training Day, I just cannot rank it any higher than this film. You really care about these characters, and it is a movie that will likely never my memory.

5. Skyfall (directed by Sam Mendes)

After the extraordinarily disappointing Quantum of Solace, I was thrilled to find out that Sam Mendes was taking over the next film in the Bond franchise. Somewhat predictably, he created what may very well be the second best of all Bonds. Skyfall is a throwback. It is filled with breathtaking cinematography and a superb score. It pays its homage to the films of the past, but then it finally breaks off from tradition. The filmmakers made it clear that they want to create their own Bond legacy, rather than just adding tired additions to the end of the previously dying franchise. Daniel Craig is Bond, and the future is bright. In all honestly, if we are talking about my favorite movie-going experiences of the year, then seeing this at IMAX at the midnight premiere has got to be at the top. It is thrilling in ways that had been absent from the franchise for decades. Javier Bardem’s villain is brilliant. The performances by Craig and Judi Dench are their finest in the franchise.  Every scene does something to make it memorable and vital. It is movies like Skyfall that remind us why we go to the movies in the first place and why Bond is the coolest character ever.

4. Looper (directed by Rian Johnson)

I was beyond shocked by how good this movie was. The trailers looked very ordinary, but Rian Johnson has always intrigued me. Time travel movies are made so often, most of which are lame and unimaginative (see, I mean do not see: last year’s Men in Black 3). This one, however, creates its own rules and world to make one of the most unique thrills of the year. Johnson’s screenplay is the best of the year, without any real competition. The performances are true, which is rare in a movie like this. The actors clearly bought in and understood that the movie is more than just an exercise in science fiction, but more a brilliantly-conceived drama based around sci-fi elements. It is so in touch with its tone and so committed that I almost want to live in that world for another movie or two. It doesn’t just toy around with the time continuum paradox and try to twist you into loving it. It plays it straight, and the characters are real. It is most likely the most re-watchable movie that 2012 had to offer. There is nothing out there like it.

3. Argo (directed by Ben Affleck)

Suddenly, Ben Affleck has become the go-to guy in Hollywood for marketable, thrilling stories coming to the big screen. Argo is certainly a unique case in the industry. I am not sure I have ever seen a movie that brings out more kinds of emotions than this one. It is almost a comedy. It is certainly a thriller. It is a hard-hitting drama. It is an intriguing character study. It is an engrossing history lesson about the famous 1980 CIA ex-fill from Iran. Needless to say, Ben Affleck’s direction was the most complex of the year. The cast was terrific and committed. The final half hour is among amazing achievements of 2012. There is so much silence, yet so much tension is built. The screenplay is sensational. The technical aspects are all close to flawless. It may be a bit easier to appreciate this movie than to really love, but that is not a bad thing at all. It is Affleck’s best film and one of the elite films of 2012.

2. Django Unchained (directed by Quentin Tarantino)

Go figure, Quentin Tarantino has done it again. In what may be his most indulgent film, he has created what could turn out to be his most widely-appealing hit. If nothing else, this proves that no matter what style it is, the mass public is still desperate to see westerns. Tarantino has created some of his most memorable characters in his brilliant screenplay. It is relentless in its violence yet also playful in ways unlike all previous QT ventures (maybe a bit in Inglourious Basterds). The bounty hunter story is not exactly a step out for QT, but if anyone is making a bounty hunter film, it had better be him. He has made this story of revenge a regular thing with his movies, but never as entertaining as this. Tarantino has created his own genre of film, and that is the mark of a true auteur. He pulls out the most unforgettable and ridiculous performance Leonardo DiCaprio has ever given. The cast clearly had the time of their lives, and Christoph Waltz should be required to be in every Tarantino movie from now on.

1. Zero Dark Thirty (directed by Kathryn Bigelow)

This movie has got to be one of the most astonishing achievements in recent memory. The Kathryn Bigelow-Mark Boal combination reaped unbelievable benefits with 2009’s The Hurt Locker, and making another movie about the Middle East, let alone something so recent, seemed like a project destined to fail. It became, however, perhaps the most enthralling movie of the last few years. The story is complex, fast-moving, and so tight that I can only really compare it to something like All the President’s Men. The main character Maya, played astonishingly by the seemingly everywhere Jessica Chastain, is one of the more unlikable yet relatable characters in years. She is more Clarice Starling than Carrie Mathison. She is obsessed, but not to the point of being a lunatic. She is commanding and committed to her career. Like Starling, she is essentially the only woman in doing that sort of work, but she is the kingpin. The movie clicks along at a pace that will never wear on the patience of anyone, all intelligently leading up to the hunt for Osama Bin Laden, which is one of the most breathtaking sequences I have witnessed in a theater. Every moment of this movie seems vital, and every performance rings true. I am not sure I can really relive this movie too many times, but for the 157 minutes I spent watching it on the big screen, I was left spellbound in a way that is not normal for me. It is one of the most meticulously detailed and researched scripts, as well as one of the most involving character studies and technically-sound films in years. It is the movie of 2012, and finally one that I do not feel is a default choice for my top spot.

Thoughts? Omissions? You top 10? Hit me up in the comments.

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